Plastic-block machine.



No. 819,005. PATENTED APR. 24, 1906.

G. W. CRIOHFIELD.

PLASTIC BLOCK MACHINE.

APPLICATION FILED MAR.24,1905.

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PATENTED APR. 24, 1906.

G. W. CRIGHFIELD. PLASTIC BLOCK MACHINE.

APPLICATION FILED MAB..24, 1905.

5 SHEETS-SHEET '24 maww/m PATENTED APR. 24, 1906.

G. W. CRIGHFIELD.

PLASTIC BLOCK MACHINE.

APPLICATION FILED MAB..24, 1905.

5 SHEETS-SHEET 3.

PATENTED APR. 24, 1906.

G. W. ORIGHFIELD.

PLASTIC BLOCK MACHINE.

APPLICATION FILED MAR. 24, 1905.

5 SHEETS-SHEET 4.

e QM ow M 1 WITNESSES ATTO RNEYS PATENTED APR. 24, 1906.

APPLICATION FILED MAR. 24, 1905' 5 SHEETS-SHEET 5.

Mme/1 s on ITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

GEORGE WV. (JRICHFIELD; OF JERSEY CITY, NEW JERSEY, ASSIGNOR OF ONE-HALFTO WVILLIAM T. S. CRICHFIELD, OF NEXV YORK, N. Y;

PLASTIC-BLOCK MACHINE.

Specification of LettersPatent.

Patented April 24, 1906.

Application filed March 24,1905. Serial No. 251,859.

To IL/[I who/I1 it may concern.-

Be it known that I, GEORGE W. Caron- FIELD, a citizen of the UnitedStates, residing at Jersey City, in the county of Hudson and State ofNew Jersey, have invented certain new and useful Improvements inPlastic-Block Machines, of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates to plastic-block machines, and may be appropriatelyand directly classed with that type of apparatus designed to form bricksor blocks of material.

in a soft state, which include among the mechanical factors employeddevices in which the material is first molded to approximate the desiredcontour andsubsequently reduced by pressure into its final shape andcondition as to density. In such machines, therefore, the essentialattributes of both molding and pressing appurtenances are required.

The object of my invention is the production of blockforming cooperatingcontrivances whereby a plurality of layers or block strata are moldedindependently and then arranged by the operation of the machinecontiguously and in predetermined order to be in conclusion pressedtogether, constituting a single block of given density.

As the purview of my invention more particularly contemplates thetreatment of asphaltic materials, it is also an object to provide meansfor maintaining those materials in suitable kneadable state until thevarious shaping functions of the mechanism have been performed thereon.

By the use of my invention there may be made, for example, apaving-block having its tread or wearing-surface composed of ingredientscompounded with special regard to the service expected of it, while thebase or underlying portion may be of less costly substance in nature andquantity, although perfectly adapted to support the wearing or resistantpart.

To illustrate the preferred embodiment of my invention, it has beenneedful only to represent two molds and the various associated elementsactuating them, and the following description of construction andoperation is confined tothe exemplification of apparatus including buttWo molds and those adapted to receive material and fashion the blocklayers simultaneously and of substantially equal thickness. It isbelieved, however, that it is within the scope of my illVQIlr tion toprovide for the original molding 0t more than two layers individuallybothasto time and place in the system, the thickness of" one layerhaving nor-elation to that of another and the final arrangement oflayers bemg either side by side or in SLIPGBPO SIUODyQS may be electedby the user to whose onder Figure 1 represents a front View, partly in;vertical section, to show themlxers and theservice-cylinders, with therelative positions. of the molds. Fig. 2 is a S1dG=VlQW, portions beingalso sectionally shown, and sets forth the molds and press-operatingmechanism. and one end ofthe conveyor for receiving and. removing thecompleted block and for immersing the same in a cooling-tank of. water.Fig. 3 is a top plan. View of the entire invention. Fig. 4 is anenlarged sectional view of the molds and. immediate elements as shown inFig. 1 to aid in. the explanation. by more clearly illustratingthosepieces. Fig. 5 is a crosssection of the molds. and we ble, theformer being in, the: positions assumed by them when arranged togetherin order that the layers may be integrated by pressure. Fig. 6 is an.enlarged sectional, detail view ofthe blocloraising members asso ciatedwith the lower press-plunger. Those members raise the completed. blockout ot the combined molds. Fig. 7 represents apartlysectional view ofthe upper and. lower pressplungers and shows the means for heating them;and Fig. 8 illustrates the outer end of the water-tank, with one form ofthe discharging devices to remove thecooledblocks.

Like numbers are used to designate the same parts throughout.

Upon girders 1 of suitable character and conveniently supported I erectmixers 2 and 3, usually side by side, as shown. Each mixer is providedwith the heaters or blades 4 on parallel shafts 5, driven by pulley 6,the main gears 7 and 8, and the transmittinggears 9 and 10. I do notconfine myself to. any particular type of mixer, reserving the right tointroduce any superior kind. of ma.- chine for the purpose. Each mixeris pro.- vided with a gate 11, opened or closed by Directly beneath eachmixer is arranged a vertical service-cylinder 15, having, as ord1-narily constructed, a converging mouth 16. Each cylinder is furnishedwith a jacket 17 and steam-heating pipe 18 to maintain the material atthe workable temperature. At

its base each cylinder 15 has an outlet 19 of approximately the samearea and shape as the su erficial extent of the block layers to Throughthe outlets 19 the ma- In Fig. 1 the mold on the left hand is marked 20and that on the "right hand 21, and the molds are supported and slidelongitudinally upon the tables 22, which possess the steam-spaces 23,served by the piping 24, as will be understood. It will be noted thatthe right-hand extension of the table is higher than the left-handextension 26 and that the molds have parallel geared racks 27 and 28,which extend downwardly for a distance on the sides of the extensions ofthe table 22 (see also Figs. 4 and 5) and serve to guide the recirocative movements of the molds hereina ter. "Usually the molds are keptdown upon the table extensions at their outer ends by the rollers 29;but it is thought to be clear that the rollers may be replaced by otherequivalent devices, if desired. Each mold has a suitable wearing-plate30, that slides in'contact with the outlet 19 of the cylinder 15, andeach mold has a lining 31. The wearing-plates and linings are renewable.

To reciprocate the molds, I employ geared segments 32, two for eachmold, engaging the sideiracks 27 27 and 28 28 of the molds. Segments 32are secured upon rocking shafts 33, and by means of bevel-gears 34 onthe rocking shaft and 35 on a transverse shaft 36 the segments arethrown back and forth. Transverse shaft 36 also has a rocking movementimparted to it by the attached arm 37, (see 2,) that is provided at itsfree extremity with a roller 38, engaging and traversing the groove 39of the cam-Wheel is revolved by and supported on the short transverseshaft 41. A gear 42 drives shaft 41 and is itself driven by a like gear43 ,fixed upon transverse shaft 44, and which will be referred to again.

After the layers are molded by the elements above described thepress-plungers are brought into play. To operate the machine, I providea pulley 45 on the outermost end of shaft 44, and to actuate theplungers I secure a cam 46 upon that shaft, (see Figs. 2 and 3,)customarily at its middle point. As cam 46 revolves its contact withrollers 47 and 48, borne by cross-heads. 49 and 50,

cam-wheel 40, and i joined by tie-rods 51, moves in and out theframe-like portion of the machine, consisting of the cross-heads andtie-rods mentioned. It will be observed in-Fig. 2 that cross-head 49 hasprojecting from it the guide-rod 52 and that the rod is arranged toreciprocate in the guide-bearing 53, supported by the pedestal 54,erected upon the bed-plate. From the same Fig. 2 it may be seen thatcross-head moves in parallel guides 55 and that the cross-head ispivotally connected with the links 56, the remaining ends of which arepivotally attached to the arms of the bellcrank levers 57. Bearings orfulcrums 58 for the bell-crank levers are provided upon the heads 59 ofthe press-frame, and those heads are connected by the vertical tie-rods60. The second arms of the bell-crank levers are connected to links 61,that are in i turn pivotally attached to the upper and lower plungerpress-bodies 62 and 63. The bodies of the plungers are guided in theirvertical reciprocative movements by the guidebearings 64 and 65, shownin Fig. 2 as secured to the vertical tie-rods 60.

When the press-plungers are operating, it

is essential that the combined molds should be accurately positionedwith respect to each other. This desired arrangement I insure byequipping the upper plunger-head 66 with downwardly-projectingdowel-pins 67. It is my practice usually to taper the dowels at theirends, (see Fig. 4,) and as they enter the holes 68, with which bothmolds are provided, those holes are forced to register accurately andthe heads of the plungers cannot strike the sides of the hollows of themolds.

Head 66 of the upper plunger is fixed there-- on, but the head 69 of thelower plunger is movable up and down with respect to its body 63. It isprovided with a stem 70, (see Fig. 2,) the lower end of which fitsmovably in the socket 71 in the-plunger-body. Thus the head 69 may beraised with reference to the body of the plunger by thepivotally-attached ends 72 of levers 73, having the fulcrums 74 on somefixed portion of the machine. As shown also in Fig. 3, the long arms oflevers 73 have between them a roller 75, acted upon by the cam-wheel 76,fixed on shaft 44. It may also be explained at this point that thewheels 77, secured on shaft 44, are provided with the cam projections78, the oflice of which is to force forwardly the rods 79. (Shown inFigs. 2 and 3.) Rods 79 are attached to a sliding angle piece or head80. After a predetermined forward movement the ends of rods 79 escapefrom the cam projections of cam-wheels 77 and the rods are returned. totheir normal positions by the springs 81, illustrated as coiled aboutthem.

In Fig. 7 I have shown one method of heating the plunger-heads. Thepipe-couplings 82 are connected with pieces of steam-hose 83 of more orless length, and this is in turn joined to any convenient source ofsteam at the proper temperature.

I do not confine myself to the construction requiring heatedplunger-heads. The means for heating those heads may be omitted wit-houtdifficulty in some instances.

In the operation of my invention materials suitably eompoumled areserved to the mix- 2 and 3. That compound which is prepared toconstitute the lower layer of the blocks is deposited in mixer 2 and thetop layer composition is contained in mixer 3 as my invention is shownand described herein. The compounds flow from the mixers into and fillcylinders 15, and these vertical columns of material are intended to beof such length as to feed the plastic into the molds at some pressure.All the while the material is maintained in workable condition by theheat of the steam circulating about the mixers, cylinders, and throughmold-table 22 and the plunger-heads, if necessary.

The molds are, as shown, flat plates having the openings near theirinner ends to receive the material and being solid throughout theirremaining portions in order that when they are combined between theplunger-heads the outlets 19 of the cylinders are closed and the flow ofmaterial entirely shut off for the time being. Let it be assumed thatthe molds start from their combined position at the middle of themachine. (See Figs. 3 and 4.) Can1wheel revolving the eccentric portionof groove 39 causes a forward movement of arm 37 with consequent rockingof shafts 36 and 33 and corresponding excursions of the bevel-gears 34and geared segments 32. The segments by reason of their describedengagement with the racks of the molds draw the molds outwardly into thepositions indicated by the broken lines, bringing the hollows of themolds beneath the outlets 19 of the cylinders 15. At once the molds arefilled with material under a certain pressure hydrostatically exerted bythe vertical columns, as already explained. Continued movement ofrevolution on the part of earn-wheel 40 results in a return move ment ofarm 37, and consequently of the segments, and the molds combine oncemore at the middle of the machine, this time full of material and oneabove the other. It should here be stated that the concentric portion ofthe groove 39 is of sufficient length to permit the molds to remaincombined during the pressing and ejecting steps explained below.

Being geared together shaft 41, carrying cam-wheel 40, and shaft 44,turning cam 46, rotate with definitely-related velocities, and upon thecombining of the molds filled with material the cam 46 moves thecrossheads forwardly and through the links 56 brings into operation thetoggle-joints formed by the bell-crank levers and short links 61,thereby forcing the plungers toward each other.

As the dowel-pins 67 slightly lead the upper plunger-head, they enterthe holes 68 and secure the molds accurately together, and theplunger-heads approaching each other enter the hollows of the molds andcompress the two layers, at the same time pressing one to the otheruntil they become practically a sin.- gle block composed of twodiffering compositions. Cam 46 is, as shown, of such peripheral contourthat the press-plungers are held together during one-quarter of arevolution in order to afford time for the combined layers nowcompressed to set-that is to say, to thoroughly cohere. Then the furtherrevolution of the cam withdraws the plungers, and it is during and atthe termination of the withdrawal of the plungers that the greater camprojections 76 of cam-wheels 77 actuate levers 73, thereby raising lowerplunger-head 69 from its body through both molds until its upper surfaceis flush with the upper surface of the top mold and the block is raisedentirely free from the molds. For a brief interval the cams 76 hold theplunger head and block in the position described long enough, in fact,for the lesser cam projections 78 to move rods 7.) and their head 80forward. In Fig. 2 it will be noted that the block is thus shifted uponan inclined chute S4 and succeeding blocks advance it down the chuteuntil it is taken upon the conveyer 55. The upper length of the conveyersags down into the water 86 in tank 87, and the block is cooled foralength of time depending upon the speed and length of the conveyer. Fig.8 illustrates the end of the conveyer arising from the water bearing thecooled blocks and shows the receiving-plate 88 for removing the blocks.I do not confine myself to the particular conveyer and removing elementsdrawn, as such are common devices and may be indefinitely modified.

Having now described my invention and explained the mode of itsoperation, what I claim is 1. In a lastic-block machine, the combinationwit 1 a plurality of mixing-chambers and mixing devices whereindifferent plastic compounds may be mixed separately, of movable molds,mold-operating mechanism whereby different molds are moved to and fromdifferent mixing-chambers enabling the molds to receive differentcompounds, the said mechanism being adapted to arrange the molds andcontents contiguously, and a press constructed to press the contents ofdifferent molds together causing them to cohere and form a single body.

2. In a )lastic-block machine, the combination wit 1 a plurality ofmixing-chambers and mixing devices wherein different plastic compoundsmay be mixed separately, of movable molds, mold-operating mechanismwhereby different molds are moved to and I from differentmixing-chambers enabling the molds to receive different compounds, the}said mechanism being adapted to arrange the molds and contentscontiguously, and a press independent of said molds and having plungersnormally withdrawn from the molds and constructed to press the contentsof different molds together causing them to cohere and form a singlebody.

3. In a plastic-block machine, the combi nation with a plurality ofmixing-chambers and mixing devices wherein different plastic compoundsmay be mixed separately, of movable molds, mold-serving means arrangedbetween said chambers and molds whereby the plastic compounds aredelivered to said molds under pressure, mold-operating mechanism wherebydifierent molds are moved to and from different mixing-chambers enablingthe molds to receive different compounds, the said mechanism beingadapted to arrange the molds and contents contiguously, and a pressconstructed to press the contents of different molds together causingthem to cohere and form a single body.

4. In a plastic-block machine, the combination with a plurality ofseparate mixingchambers and mixing devices, of movable molds adapted toreceive plastic material, mold-serving cylinders vertically disposed andsupporting the said mixing-chambers at a distance above the moldswhereby plastic materials are delivered to the molds under hydrostaticpressure, mold-operating mechanism whereby the molds and plastic bodiesformed in different molds are arranged contiguously, and a press adaptedto compress such bodies together in the molds causing them to cohere andform a single body.

5. In a plastic-block machine, the combination with reciprocating moldshaving like mold-openings through them for the reception of plasticmaterials, of mold-operating mechanism whereby the molds and the plasticbodies formed in different molds are arranged contiguously, and a presshaving plungers normally withdrawn entirely from the molds and adaptedto enter the mold-openings and to compress the said plastic bodlestogether causing them to cohere and form a single bod 6. In aplastic-block machine, the combi nation with a plurality of separatemixingchambers and mixing devices, of movable molds adapted to receiveplastic materials, mold-serving receptacles arranged between themixing-chambers and molds for delivering the materials to the molds,means for heating the said receptacles, mold-operating mechanism wherebythe molds and the plastic bodies formed in diflerent molds are arrangedcontiguously, and a press adapted to compress the said bodies togetherin the molds causing them to cohere and form a single body.

7. In a plastic-block machine, the combination with movable molds, ofmold-serving receptacles including vertically placed and extendedportions fashioned and disposed to deliver plastic to the said moldsunder hydrostatic pressure exerted by the plastic, moldguiding and mold-operating mechanism whereby the said molds and plastic bodiesseparately formed therein are arranged contiguously one above another,and a ress adapted to compress such arranged p astic bodies togethercausing them to cohere and form a single body.

8. In a plastic-block machine, the combination with a table providedwith extensions situated at different levels, of molds movable upon thesaid table extensions, mold-guiding and mold-operating mechanism wherebythe said molds and plastic bodies formed separately therein are arrangedcontiguously one above another, and a press adapted to compress sucharranged plastic bodies together causing them to cohere and form a sinle body.

9. In a plastic-block machine, the combination with a table havingextensions situated at different levels, of means for heating thetables, reciprocating molds movable upon the said extensions of thetable, mold-guiding and mold-operatic g mechanism whereby the said moldsand plastic bodies formed separately therein are arranged contiguouslyone above another, and a press adapted to press the contents ofdifferent molds together causing them to cohere and form a single body.I

10. In a plastic-block machine, the combination with a table havingextensions situated at different levels, of molds movable upon the saidtable extensions, the said molds having openings closed at the bottom bythe surface of the table when the molds are at separated positions,mold-guiding and mold-operating mechanism whereby the said molds andplastic bodies formed separately therein are arranged contiguously oneabove ar other, and a press adapted to compress such arranged plasticbodies together causing them to cohere and form a single body.

11. In a plastic-block machine, the combination with a table havingextensions situated at different levels, of means for heating the table,molds movable upon the said table and extensions, the said molds havingopenings closed at the bottom by the surface of the table when the moldsare in separated positions, mold-guiding and mold-operating mechanismwhereby the said molds and plasthe table, molds movable upon the saidtable and its extensions, the said molds having openings closed at thebottom by tlie surface of the table when the molds are in separatedpositions, mold-serving receptacles fashioned and disposed to deliverplastic to the said openings in the molds, means for heating saidreceptacles, mold-guiding and moldoperat in mechanism whereby the saidmolds and plastic bodies separately formed therein are arrangedcontiguously one above another, and a press adapted to compress sucharranged plastic bodies together causing them to cohere and form asingle body.

13. In a plastic-block machine, the combination with a table havingextensions situated at different levels and a middle opening, of moldsmovable upon the said table and extensions, the said molds havingopenings closed at the bottom by the surface of the table when the moldsare at separated positions, mold-guiding and moldoperating mechanismwhereby the said molds and plastic bodies formed separately therein arearranged contiguously one above another and both above the middle openinof the said table, and a press having upper and lower plunger-headsadapted to enter the openings in the molds and table and compress sucharranged plastic bodies together causing them to cohere and form asingle body.

14. In a plastic-block machine, the combination with a table havingextensions situated at different levels and a middle opening, of moldsmovable upon the said table and extensions, the said molds havingopenings closed at the bottom by the surface of the table when the moldsare at separated positions, mold-guiding and mold-operating mechanismwhereby the said molds and tic bodies formed separately therein arearranged contiguously one above another and both above the middleopening of the table, a press having upper and lower plunger-headsadapted to enter the openings in the molds and table and compress sucharranged plastic bodies together causing them to cohere and form asingle body, press-actuating devices, and gearing interposed between thesaid devices and mold-operating mechanism constraining the said moldsand press to move with predetermined relation to each other.

15. In a plastic-block machine, the combination with movable molds, ofmold-operating mechanism wherebyplastic bodies formed in different moldsare carried by the molds and arranged contiguously, a press adapted tocompress such arranged bodies together causing them to cohere and toform a single body, and press-actuating devices including contrivancesconstructed and disposed to maintain the force of the press at its maXimum upon the said plastic bodies for a time until the material is set.

plasing mechanism whereby the plastic bodiesformed in different moldsare carried by the molds and arranged contiguousliy, a press adapted tocompress such arranged bodies together causing them to cohere and toform a single body, the plunger of the said: presshaving anindependentlymovable presserhead, and means for movmg tlie'sa idlpresserhead with respect to the plunger of the press and to the saidmolds thereby ejecting the cohered bodies.

18. In a plastic-block machine, the combination with reciprocating moldshaving mold-openings, of mold-operating mechanism whereby the openingsin the molds are moved to register with each other, a press havingplungers adapted to enter the said mold-openings, and a presser-headborne by one of the plungers and independently movable, and meansconstructed to move the said presser-hcad through the mold-openings toeject a plastic block formed therein.

19. In a plastic-block machine, the combination with movable moldshaving openings, of mold-operating mechanism whereby the openings in themolds are moved to register with each other, a block-ejector, ablockshifting device constructed and arranged to shift the block to oneside of the registered mold-openings, and gearing interposed between thesaid mold-operating mechanism and the block-ejector and block-shiftingdevice constraining the said moldoperating mechanism, blocleejector andblock-shifting device to move with predetermined relation to each other.

20. In a plastic-block machine, the combinationwith reciprocating molds,of moldguiding devices constructed and arranged to guide the moldshorizontally, mold-operating mechanism whereby the said molds andplastic bodies therein are arranged one above another, and a pressadapted to compress the contents of the molds thus arranged whereby thecontents of different molds cohere and form a single body,

21. In a plastic-block machine, the combination with bottomlessreciprocating molds, of mold-guiding devices constructed and arranged toguide the molds horizontally, mold- 5 another, and a press adapted tocompress the contents within the molds whereby the contents of difierentmolds cohere and form a single body.

22. In a plastic-block machine, the combi- IO nation with bottomlessreciprocating molds,

of mold-guiding devices constructed and ar-' ranged to guidethe moldshorizontally, moldoperating mechanism, the said mold-guiding devicesbeing supported at different levels 15' whereby the said operatingmechanism arranges the-molds and contents one above another, apressadapted to enter the molds and to compress the contents together, andpress-actuating devices including means con- 20 structed and disposed tomaintain pressure upon the contents of the molds temporarily whereby thematerial sets under pressure.

23. In a plastic-block machine, the combination with a plurality ofmixing-chambers and mixing devices for mixing different compoundsseparately, of bottomless molds,moldguiding and mold-operating meanswhereby the molds are reciprocated and arranged one above another, apress adapted to enter the molds when thus arranged, press-actuatingmechanism, the said molds having portions adapted to close the mouths ofthe mixingchambers, the said mold-operating means ineluding contrivancesfor holding the molds temporarily stationary at the limits of theirreciprocating movements, and gearing connecting the said press-actuatingmechanism and mold-operating means constraining the press and molds tomove with respect to each other at predetermined rates of speed.

In testimony whereof I aflix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

GEORGE W. ORICHFIELD. Witnesses:

JAMES F. MoMANUs, W. J. BROWNE.

